Fornia



June 17, 1930. c. JOHNSTON ET AL CALCULATING MACHINE Filed March 17. 1920 INVENTORS C 4- Jox/n/sTa A/ fl/vo 2 E F P/OFA/ BY Mi 24f "m ATTORNEYS WITNESS Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca CLARENCE L. JOHNSTON, OF OAKLAND, -AND CARL M. I. FBIDEN, OF PIEDMONT, CALI- I'OBNIA, ASSIGNOBS TO MARCHANT CALCULATING MACHINE COMPANY, OF OAK-' LAND, CALIE'ORNJIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA CALCULATING MACHINE Application filed March 17, 1920. Serial No. 366,583.

The invention relates to calculating machines of the type embodying a registering mechanism, comprising rotatable figure discs and relates particularly to a zero setting mechanism for returning the figure discs to zero position. r V

The invention is shown embodied in a calculating' machine of the type embodying toothed adjusting-wheels having radially movable teeth, variable as to the number-operatively projected and also provided with cam discs arranged on these wheels, and by the adjustment or rotation of the cam discs, the teeth on the adjusting wheels are brought into and moved out of operating position, the rotation of the wheels being effected by a bandle which projects to the outside of the machine. The values adjusted on the toothed adjusting wheels are transmitted on the rota-' tion of the crank handle, indirectly, by means of intermediate wheels, to the figure discs of the registering mechanism orseries of figure applicable to, but is not limited .thatform of the invention which discs, which, for the purpose of making the direct action of the units toothed adjusting wheel on the intermediate wheel of the figure discs of higher value possible, is disposed in parallel displaceable relation to the adjusting mechanism axis. The zero setting mechanism of thepresent invention is particularly in its application to, calculating machines-of this type and is generally applicable to calculating machines embodying rotatable figure discs.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and dependable zero setting mocha Another object'of the inventionis to provide an improved form of detent mechanism for holding the figure discs in adjusted positions.

The invention possesses other advantageous features some of which, with the foregoing, following descriptionwhere we shall outline in full,- we have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. In said drawings we have shown oneform of the invention, but it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to such form,

in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality the zero setting knob.

I axis thereof, are one or since the invention, as expressed,

of forms.

Referring to said'drawings Figure 1 is a plan or to View of one form of calculating machine emllodying our inven tion, parts of the case being broken away to disclose the construction.

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2, Figure 1-.- I

Figure 3 is a cross section through the nu- I meral wheels on an-enlarged scale.

Figure d is a longitudinal section through The calculating machine shown in the draw1ngs,and which embodies the present lllVfBIllil Ol'l, comprises a suitable frame in I which the shaft 2 of the adjusting toothed wheels 3 is journaled and which is suitably connected to the crank handle 4. Each wheel 3 carries a plurality of radially mova ble teeth '5, which are moved inwardly and outwardly, variable as to number, by cams arranged within or associated with the wheels. "The cams are provided with projecting fingers 6, so thatthey may be readily moved circumferentially to vary the number of projecting teeth. Arranged on the frame adjacent the adusting toothed wheels, and parallel to the discs, in the present instance there being two series of figure discs 7 and 8, the discs 7 of one seriesindicating the result of the calcu lation and the discs 8 of the other series indicating the crank handle revolutions. The values adjusted on the toothed wheels are transferred to the figure discs 7, through the interposed toothed wheels 9 which mesh with toothedwheels 12 formed on or secured to the figure discs 7. The figure discs '7 are suitably connected by tens carrying mechanism, to cause the rotation of one disc through a complete revolution to advance the disc of the next higher denomination one point. The tens carrying mechanism shown comprises a pin or projection 13 on the side of the figure disc-7, which as the disc is rotated, contacts with the head 14 of the transfer lever 15, moving the lever backward, in

more series of figure I I One transfer two adjacent w to carry tens from, each whee to the ad acent of higher denomination. ach ad usting toothed wheel is provided with a cam face 18 for returning the transfer levers to normal 'tion from their backward tron; Arranged on each adjusting toot ed wheel n advance of the cam face is a carryirlg tooth 19, which, dunng the rotation of the 'us ti toothed wheel normally does not en- 1 n intermediate toothed wheel 9. The rear end. 21 of the head of the transfer lever is provided witha cam surface which, when the lever is in its backward position, lies in the path of the rocking tooth 19, so that,

when the lever is in its backward position and the adjustin toothed wheel rotated, the

tooth: 19 is rocke sideways into engagement with the intermediate toothed wheel 9 of next higher denomination and advances the disc of next higher denomination one point.

' The figure discs with their associated transfer levers, intermediate toothed wheels and attached toothed wheels, are preferably mounted in a dis laceable carriage22 for the purpose set f0 The figure discs 7 are mounted side-by-side on a shaft 23 mounted in the carriage which shaft is rotatable for I the' purpose of resetting. the figure discs to a spring zero. Each figure 7 is provided witha central aperture, the surface or of which is mutilated. The mutilated mner surface of the annular disc 7 1s referably serrated, being regularly space ber of the teeth coarespondmgttlp tlliigunuirdigicr of re arl ace figureson e re The i iiices df the teeth lie in a circle and preferably contact with the shaft 23. D18? posed in the shaft at each disc is a steel ball 34 pressed outward against the serrated surmeb 25. .Asthefigurediscis a sprig-g j rotate the. b rolls over the toothed surface and is reciprocated by the teeth and gives the. figure isc a step-by-step rotation, acting as a detent tohold the figure dlsc 1n pro r adjusted positio e" shaft 23 is provided on its end with a suitable knob or button 26 and is normally held against rotation by a latch 27 plvoted to the knob and engaging in a depression or seat in the collar 28, secured to the carriage The latch is .normally held in locked pos tlon by 29 disposed below the button 31 which. projects from the knob 26. B grasping the knob, the button is depresse releasing the latch and permitting the shaft to be i turned, Rotation of the shaft .causes the displaced figure. discs to be rotated to zero position. The spring behind the ball 34 1s of sufiicient. strength to cause the disc to rotate with the shaft. When the disc reaches ment of a plum mounted on said shaft provided on their inrovided with a p urality of angular teeth 24, the numtion to be en zero position, the pin or projection 13 enthe head 14 of the transfer lever 15 an is stop thereby, although the rotation of the sha may be continued, "All (of the displaced discs are, therefore, rotated: is zero position'by the rotation of the .shaft and when any disc reaches zero sition its further rotation is prevented yflthe transfer lever.

' -We claim: 1. In a calculating machine,- a normally stationary rotatable shaft, a plurality of spring ressed balls carried by said shaft and partia extending from the surface thereof,

'ty of annular figure discsrotatably ner faces with a plurality of regularly s aced teeth, a disc being associated with eac ball and each ball being adapted to seat between any two successive teeth on the associated discs to cause a step by step movement of the discs with-respect to the shaft and tohold the discs in any one of a plurality of adjusted positions, calculating means ada ted to rotate the discs with respect to the she in performing a calculating opfration, a transer lever associated with eac disc and adapted to cooperate with the associated calculat- .mg 'means, a. projection on each disc ared to cooperate with the associated transfer ever to move the transfer lever when the disc is moved by .the calculating means, and means for rotating the shaft to rotate the figure discs and to move the projections into contact with the transfer levers, the yieldin contact of the-balls and the discs being su ficient to cause rotation of the shaft to rotate the discs to bring the rejections into contact with the transfer evers, but being insufiicient to move the transfer levers so that the levers serve to stop rotation of the discs by the shaft. j

2. In a calculating machine, numeral wheels, ali means therefor, means for positively rivmg said. wheels, means comprlsing the a-ligningmeans for releasably driving said wheels, and a resiliently latched member engageable bysaid numeral wheels when under-either drive, said member. being capable of bein moved bysaid wheels when under positive rive, but acting to arrest said wheels in zero position when under frictional drive. s

3. In a calculating machine, numeral wheels having transfer lu means for positively driving said whee means for frictionally driving said wheels, and a member having spring means for retaining it in posiged by a transfer lug, said spring means ing so proportioned that the member will be moved on enga ment with the transfer lug when the whee s are under positive drive, but will act to arrest the numeral wheels 1n zero position when they are under frictional drive.

4. In a calculating machine, numeral wheels, means for aligning the numeral wheels in their .s'everal registering positions, means comprising resiliently latched mem- 5 bers engageable by said numeral wheels to effect tens carrying, means comprising the aligning means for driving the numeral wheels toward zero, and means com rising the said latched members for arresting the m numeral wheels in zero position.

5. 'In a calculatingjmachine, numeral wheels, 'means for positivel said wheels, means for friction y driving said wheels, and a resiliently latched member en- 15 gageable by said numeral wheels when under either drive, said member being ca able of bein moved by saidwheels when un er posi tive ive, but acting to arrest said wheels in zero position when'under frictional drive.

7 2o 6. In a calculating machine, numeral wheels, a plurality of selective driving mean's V for. said numeral wheels having difierent driving strengths, and means responsive to the driving strength of the effective drive for 25 determining whether said wheels will be arrested ata common registration. l 7. In a calculating machine, numera I wheels, selective frictional and positive driv- .ing means therefor, and meansjcontrolled by m the character of the efiective drive for deterwhether said wheels will be arrested at a common registration. In testimonywhereof, we have hereunto set, our hands,

' CLARENCE n Jomws'roN.

CARL M. F. FRIDEN. 

